Illegal Net Recovered on the Anclote River Channel

The Pasco Sheriff's Office Marine Unit recovered a 100 yard, illegal gill net on the Anclote River Channel near Anclote River County Park in Holiday on November 14, 2007. The U.S. Coast Guard notified the Sheriff's Office that a gill net was abandoned in the channel. Cpl. Russell Meissner with the Pasco Sheriff's Office Marine Unit responded and found the net was actually strung across the channel between markers 16 and 17. This also caused a navigational hazard to boaters who use the channel as a major thoroughfare to the Gulf of Mexico.

The size of the gill net was about 100 yards long. Gill nets using monofilament are illegal to use in Florida waters and it is a felony even to be in possession of such a net. "There were several hundred pounds of Lady Fish in the net and some Mullet," according to Russell Meissner, investigating the case. It is estimated that Lady Fish sell for a dollar a pound and $600 dollars worth of fish were in the net. Many of the fish were dead and had to be discarded. Florida, Fish, Wildlife, Conservation Commission (see picture) assisted the marine unit in retrieving the net which was eventually destroyed.

No suspects have been identified and the Pasco Sheriff's Office is seeking information from anyone who might have seen those responsible for placing the net in the Anclote Channel between 4 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on November 14, 2007. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Pasco Sheriff's Office Tipsline at 1-800-706-2488.